The 48th COVID-19 patient traveled far and wide

Published On: April 24, 2020 05:30 PM NPT By: Eksan Rai

Infographics: Kamal Subedi/ Republica

BHOJPUR, April 24: The Ministry of Health and Population confirmed the 48th COVID-19 case in the country on Thursday evening.

According to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, the assistant spokesperson at the ministry, a 26-year-old man had tested positive for this deadly virus on Thursday.

The young man is from Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality-6, Homtang. The Saudi Arabia returnee landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport on March 13, via a Himalayan Airlines flight.

He had left for Jhumka, Sunsari on the same day on a night bus with a friend from Nahada. He then travelled to Chatara, Sunsari to meet his wife. The man and his family went to Dharan to his maternal home. He went shopping in Dharan bazaar, according to his relatives. He also went to different places in Itahari with his friends during his eight-day-long stay in Sunsari.

After that, he visited his in-laws in Mainamaini of Udayapur on March 22. During his two-day stay there, he visited Chuhar, Dudh Koshi, on a bike. The place borders Bhojpur and Udayapur. From there, he took a lift on a bike and reached Rasuwagadhi-9, Bartang. He stayed there for two hours, and left for his home in Homtang on another bike.

After he entered Bhojpur, some locals had informed the rural municipal office via hotline number.

At home, he never stayed in quarantine. As he had not developed symptoms of novel coronavirus, he joined volleyball matches in the village and went hunting as well. “There were many people and he was in contact with the locals,” Rimal Rai, a local resident, told Republica Online. According to another local, Artha Rai, he had also attended a mourning procession of a local teacher.

Fear in the village

After the man was tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, the villagers are now terrorized. They are demanding the local authority seal the village and launch a massive testing campaign.

Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipal office, however, urged the villagers to keep calm and stay alert. According to the chairman of the rural municipality, Prem Kumar Rai, they will conduct the test of his family members and those who had been in touch with him. “Despite our efforts, we have the first case,” said Rai, adding that testing will begin at the earliest.